Oil tank



June 14, 1927. 1,631,959

C. A. GLASS OIL TANK Filed March 1924 IN V/SNTOA TTOANE V Patented June 14, 1927.

UNITED STATES CLIFTON A. GLASS, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

OIL TANK.

Application filed Iarch 28, 1924 Serial No. 702,600.

This invention relates to oil tanks and the primary object of the invention is to pro vide a novel and efficient means for preventing loss of the more volatile constituents of petroleum by evaporation during storage and the incidental filling and emptying of the tanks. The losses of the more volatile ends of stored petroleum is occasioned large- 1y, if not entirely by the breathing of the tank in which the petroleum is stored, that is by the expelling of petroleum vapor ladened air whenthe tank is being filled with oil, or by expelling of petroleum vapor ladened air due to the expansion of the air in the upper portion of the tank caused by a rise in temperature or by change in barometric pressure, it being important to note that especially in the larger sizes, the tanks cannot be entirely filled with oil because a very slight expansion of the oil occasioned by a change in temperature will rupture the tank or at least seriously damage it. Therefore it will be apparent that it is important to provide some eflicient means to take care of the conditions encountered in actual practice and it is the purpose of my invention to provide means whichwill prevent evaporation losses and prevent danger of rupture of the tank, particularl when the air is expelled, due to the fact tliat it is being displaced by liquid as well as to prevent the atmospheric air introduced into the tank upon a drop in the level of the oil from becoming impregnated with the highly valu able lighter constitutents of the petroleum group. In other words the air is admitted into the tank and expelled therefrom without coming into contact with the petroleum so petroleum vapor losses cannot occur..

With these ends in view, the invention consists in certain novel parts and combination of parts, all of which will be specifically referred to hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through a tank constructed in accordance with my invention.

" Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view through the floating deck and part of the curtain.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the up per portion of the tank showingthe manner of fastening the curtain to the tank wall, and

-I provide a swing pipe compartment providing a supplemental curtain -18 fast Fig. 4 is a cross sectional viewthrough the swing pipe compartment.

The tank 1 may be constructed of an material in the usual way and it will pre crably though not necessarily be provided with a water shedding deck or roof 2. The roof may consist of any suitable material sufficient to shed water, snow and the like and protect the interior of the tank from the sun. The roof is shown as supported upon a center post or stanchion 3. Fastened to the wall 4 of the tank is a curtain 5. The upper edge of the curtain is secured to the upper wall of the tank by a ring 6 throu h which rivets" or other suitable fastening evices 7 extend.

The rivets pass through the curtain and through the side wall and also fasten the hanger 8 'upon which the roof 2 rests. The curtain is secured to a floating pan or deck 9. The deck or pan 9 is shown as comprising a metallic shell formed with a bottom 10, a vertical peripheral flange 11 and a horizontal flange 12. The bottom of the curtain is fastened to the horizontal flange 12 by a. ring 13 through which the fastening devices 13 pass, as best shown in Fig. 2. The bottom of the pan is provided with a flanged opening 14 so that a swing pipe 15 may operate through it to permit the free end of the swing pipe to rise above the bottom of the pan or deck. The swing pipe is operated in the usual way by a flexible connection 16.

In order to provide for the swing pipe,

ened to the edge of the flanged opening 14 as will be clearly seen in Fig. 1. The supplemental curtain 18 is arranged at'the sides and inner end of the aperture 14,. and the sides of the said curtain 18 extend beyond the outer end of the aperture 14 to the marginal curtain 5 and are connected at their outer ends to the same as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawing. The en plemental curtain 18 may be sup orted iiom the roof by hangers 19. In ordier that the deck 9 may rise and fall with respect to the center pole 3, I provide a hanger plate or bracket 20 on the pole 3 and provide a tubu-- lar curtain 21 suspended therefrom, the lower portion of the curtain being fastened. to the flanged opening'22 of the deck 9 and I also provide a similar curtain 23 suspended oil to the inside of the container from the gage hole openin 24, the lower portion of'the curtain 23 eing also connected to' the flanged open portion 25 of the deck 9. In .order that air may enter the tank above the curtain I provide a breather pipe 26.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the deck 9 really constitutes a floating top or cover for the oil and that the curtain and deck divide the tank into an upper compartment and a lower compartment. The lower compartment receives the oil. Theupper compartment is merely an an space. Therefore when the tank is being filled or emptied, the upper portion of the tank can breath without exhaling or passing out vapor ladened air. \Vhenever the tank is being filled or whenever the temperature of the oil in the tank rises, the deck will rise forcing out air through pipe 26 butsince this air. cannot contact with the oil, it is obvious that none of the highly volatile constituents of the oil will be lost, rather they will be confined within the lower compartment and since the deck floats upon the surface of the bodyof oil, it will be apparent that the formation of hydrocarbon vapors will be reduced to a minimum, because the major portion of the curtain or the cover will lie upon the body of prevent evaporation. I may utilize any suitable flexible material so as to keep the hydrocarbon vapors in the lower compartment of the, tank, so I do not wish to be limited to any particular material, but I prefer to use a suitable material which will be impervious to moisture and not readily attacked by liquids of the petroleum group.

Attention is also called to the fact that inasmuch as the curtain is flexible so that it can flex or bulge away from the wall 'of the tank, that at no time can there be any appreciable pressure in the liquid compartment because if pressure is generated in the compartment in excess of atmospheric pressure, the curtain will give until the pressures in the upper and lower compartments are substantially equal.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

1. A liquid container, a substantially vertical curtain secured at its up or edge to and a metallic float sealed to the lower portion of the curtain around its outer edge, thefloat having an openingtherein for the reception of a swing ipe and a supplemental curtain closing 0 communication between the opening and the upper portion of the container.

2. In combination, an oil tank, a substantially vertical curtain secured at its upper edge to the inside of the tank, and a float scaled to the lower portion of the curtain around its outer edge, the float having an opening for the reception of a swing pipe and means for closing off communication between the opening and the upper portion of the tank.

3. In combination, an oil tank, a substantially vertical curtain secured at its upper edge to the tank, a float substantially .coextensive with the cross scrtional area of the tank sealed to the lower part of the curtain, and a swing pipe compartment fastened to the float communicating with the lower portion of the tank through an opening in the float.

4. In combination, an oil tank, a substantially vertical curtain secured at itsuppcr edge to the tank, a float substantially coextensive with the cross sectional area of the tank sealed to the lower part of the curtain, and a swing pipe compartment 'i'astened to the'float communicatin with the lower portion of the tank through an opening in the float, the tank having a gauge hole opening in line with a like opening in the float, and a tubular curtain, the ends of which are fastened to parts of the tank and float respectively, surrounding the openings.

5. In combination, an oil tank, a substantially vertical curtain secured at its upper edge to the tank, a float substantially co-cxtensive with the cross sectional area of the tank sealed to the lower part of the curtain, a swing pipe compartment fastened to the float communicating with the lower portion of the tank through an opening in the float. a center pole supporting the roof of the tank, a bracketplate on the center pole, in line with an opening in the float, and a tubular curtain surrounding the center pole connected to the bracket plate and to part of the float surrounding the last named opening.

6. In combination, an oil tank, a float in the tank substantially co-extensive with the cross sectional area of the tank having a swing pipe opening, a curtain fastened at its upper end to the tank and at its lower end to the float, a curtain fastened at its lower end to the part of the float surrounding the swing pipe opening, and means securing the upper part of the last named curtain to the top of the tank.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CLIFTON A. GLASS.

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